Monkey Beach

The bond between siblings Jimmy and Lisa is central to Monkey Beach. Jimmy’s mysterious disappearance on a fishing trip is a major conflict in the novel, and Lisa’s motivation to find Jimmy demonstrates her connection to her brother. At the same time, there are major differences between the siblings, and Jimmy’s character serves as a foil to Lisa. While Lisa is a social outcast, does poorly at school, and is rebellious, Jimmy is popular, a star swimmer, and focused on goals, including his dream of gaining a spot on an Olympic team. However, when he injures his shoulder and has to quit swimming, there is a major evolution in Jimmy’s character. He loses ambition and becomes apathetic, inverting the relationship between Lisa and Jimmy. She has made the decision to apply herself and succeed in school, taking on the responsibility of saving Jimmy from ruining his life.

The bond between Lisa and Jimmy works on the spiritual level that she learns to expect and accept. When Jimmy suddenly announces that he is going on a fishing trip, Lisa intuits that something has gone wrong, eventually discovering that he is on the trip to confront Josh for impregnating his girlfriend Karaoke. Likewise, the crows that Jimmy cares for speak to Lisa, prompting her to leave to join the search for Jimmy in Namu. At the very end of the novel, the bond between the siblings is reinforced as she sees a “pale afterimage” of Jimmy, asking the spirits on the beach to tell Lisa to “[t]ake care of yourself, wherever you’re going” (374).

Ma-ma-oo is Lisa’s vital link to Haisla culture, teaching her about traditions, foods, medicinal plants, and more. Moreover, Ma-ma-oo is Lisa’s steadfast supporter, accepting her granddaughter for who she is, and providing a safe, judgment-free, comforting environment. Lisa clearly appreciates and enjoys the support Ma-ma-oo provides, expressing a desire to just “pick berries and go fishing with Ma-ma-oo and spend all my days wandering” (253).

Ma-ma-oo is a stable character who does not really evolve over the course of Monkey Beach. Instead, what she reveals to Lisa helps her granddaughter evolve. Ma-ma-oo’s explanation that the women in the family have spiritual capabilities is a revelation to Lisa, leading her to accept her ability to communicate with the dead rather than fear them, through sacrificial offerings, visions, and speaking directly to them. The tragic death of Ma-ma-oo precipitates a kind of breakdown in Lisa, but by the end of the novel, Ma-ma-oo provides critical advice, warning Lisa that her spiritual gifts are dangerous if not handled carefully.

Lisa’s Uncle Mick is a strong influence on her, raising her consciousness about social justice and American Indian rights as well as her family’s history. Monkey Beach hints at an evolution Mick’s character had gone through prior to the action of the novel. Formerly active in protests and the American Indian Movement (A.I.M.), Mick was forced to go into hiding for a time, and since reemerging has decided to instead settle down in Kitamaat. He and Lisa share a rebellious streak, forging a bond between them that is reinforced by Mick’s affection for his niece. However, she eventually sees a darker side to Mick, as when he is distraught about the death of Elvis or upset about his ex-wife Cookie. Seeing a role model falter opens Lisa’s eyes and matures her understanding, as she realizes that there can be both good and bad, strengths and weaknesses within something. The tragic death of Mick while at sea makes Lisa distraught. Yet by the end of the novel, she matures further, realizing that it is possible to live with the spirits of the dead around her, and she is comforted by a vision of Mick in the final scene on Monkey Beach.